Venice ambulance service idea is gaining traction

Published: Thursday, September 19, 2013 at 1:46 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, September 19, 2013 at 1:46 p.m.

VENICE - The union representing Venice's firefighters is suggesting the city start its own ambulance service and add paramedics to the Fire Department's staff.

Mervin Kennell, president of Suncoast Professional Firefighters & Paramedics IAFF Local 2546, said the union raised the idea this week during contract negotiations with the city.

“There is dialogue about expanding the Fire Department with EMS,” Kennell said. Yet he stressed that the discussion is very preliminary. “There are a lot of elements to an EMS system. It's not easy to start or replace. . . . All kinds of questions come into play.”

If the city and union decide to pursue the idea, it will probably take at least a year to get a city emergency medical service established, Kennell said.

Venice Fire Chief James Warman has already made the same suggestion to the City Council, which expressed interest this year.

Currently, Sarasota County provides paramedics and ambulances at Venice's three fire stations.

The county charges Venice property owners 66 cents for every $1,000 in taxable value for that service, which brings in $1.8 million.

The county also bills an ambulance transportation fee to patients of $600. It tends to collect on about 60 percent of those bills, which brings in about $3.78 million, according to Warman's estimates.

Warman has said the city would need roughly $1.75 million for its own emergency medical service. The union estimates Venice would have about $1 million in start-up costs and would have to hire 29 people.

Mayor John Holic recently raised the issue of what it costs the city for firefighters who are cross-trained as emergency medical technicians to back up a county crew of two paramedics responding to an emergency.

Often four responders are needed on a call, depending on the number of injured and the severity of the injuries.

City firefighters make roughly 1,900 back-up calls each year, about five a day. The county does not reimburse the city for that back-up service, Holic said.

Holic wanted the city to start billing the county $200 an hour each time a fire engine is sent on an ambulance call, which would cost the county an estimated $380,000 a year. The City Council decided not to push the issue.

Warman estimated that it costs the city about $200 an hour to send a back-up crew on medical calls, including salaries, benefits, six to seven gallons of gas, insurance, maintenance of the fire engine and so on.

County commissioners have said that, if Venice wants to take over ambulance service in the city, it is welcome to do so. Longboat Key and North Port provide their own emergency medical services.

Yet Kennell said a takeover of EMS raises questions such as whether county paramedics would be hired by the city and whether the additional employees would help or further hinder the city firefighters' pension fund, which has an unfunded liability.

Holic questions whether the service could operate in the black and whether adding to the Fire Department's ranks would expand the pension fund's liability.

“Throwing more people into a system that is broken does not fix the system,” Holic said.

<p><em>VENICE</em> - The union representing Venice's firefighters is suggesting the city start its own ambulance service and add paramedics to the Fire Department's staff. </p><p>Mervin Kennell, president of Suncoast Professional Firefighters & Paramedics IAFF Local 2546, said the union raised the idea this week during contract negotiations with the city.</p><p>“There is dialogue about expanding the Fire Department with EMS,” Kennell said. Yet he stressed that the discussion is very preliminary. “There are a lot of elements to an EMS system. It's not easy to start or replace. . . . All kinds of questions come into play.”</p><p>If the city and union decide to pursue the idea, it will probably take at least a year to get a city emergency medical service established, Kennell said.</p><p>Venice Fire Chief James Warman has already made the same suggestion to the City Council, which expressed interest this year.</p><p>Currently, Sarasota County provides paramedics and ambulances at Venice's three fire stations.</p><p>The county charges Venice property owners 66 cents for every $1,000 in taxable value for that service, which brings in $1.8 million.</p><p>The county also bills an ambulance transportation fee to patients of $600. It tends to collect on about 60 percent of those bills, which brings in about $3.78 million, according to Warman's estimates.</p><p>Warman has said the city would need roughly $1.75 million for its own emergency medical service. The union estimates Venice would have about $1 million in start-up costs and would have to hire 29 people.</p><p>Mayor John Holic recently raised the issue of what it costs the city for firefighters who are cross-trained as emergency medical technicians to back up a county crew of two paramedics responding to an emergency.</p><p>Often four responders are needed on a call, depending on the number of injured and the severity of the injuries.</p><p>City firefighters make roughly 1,900 back-up calls each year, about five a day. The county does not reimburse the city for that back-up service, Holic said.</p><p>Holic wanted the city to start billing the county $200 an hour each time a fire engine is sent on an ambulance call, which would cost the county an estimated $380,000 a year. The City Council decided not to push the issue.</p><p>Warman estimated that it costs the city about $200 an hour to send a back-up crew on medical calls, including salaries, benefits, six to seven gallons of gas, insurance, maintenance of the fire engine and so on.</p><p>County commissioners have said that, if Venice wants to take over ambulance service in the city, it is welcome to do so. Longboat Key and North Port provide their own emergency medical services.</p><p>Yet Kennell said a takeover of EMS raises questions such as whether county paramedics would be hired by the city and whether the additional employees would help or further hinder the city firefighters' pension fund, which has an unfunded liability.</p><p>Holic questions whether the service could operate in the black and whether adding to the Fire Department's ranks would expand the pension fund's liability.</p><p>“Throwing more people into a system that is broken does not fix the system,” Holic said.</p>